Where does “pre-Christian” come from?
pre-Christian (English) comes from English christian, from Middle English Cristien, from Old French chrestien, from Latin Christiānus, from Latin Chrīstus, from Ancient Greek Χριστός, from Ancient Greek χρίω, from Proto-Indo-European gʰrēy- — to rub; to stroke; to grind.
pre-Christian (English): Pertaining to the time before the arrival of...
Definitions
- Pertaining to the time before the arrival of...
Ancestry of “pre-Christian”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | christian | — |
| 2 | Middle English | Cristien | Christian; of those who believe in Christ;... |
| 3 | Old French | chrestien | Christian |
| 4 | Latin | Christiānus | — |
| 5 | Latin | Chrīstus | — |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | Χριστός | anointed; messiah; annointed, the annointed one,... |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | χρίω | to smear with , rub on something; to anoint with... |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | gʰrēy- | to smear; to paint, streak, smear |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | gʰer- | to rub; to stroke; to grind |